You just put together an impressive mother’s day spread but now it’s dad’s turn. Luckily you don’t have to approach this without a wingman in sight. Nate Berkus and Target put together this creative video to show you how easy it is to throw casual yet memorable (just like the man you’re celebrating) father’s day lunch to serve as a backdrop for all the amazing gifts and heartfelt notes he’ll be showered with.

Tessa Neustadt

First, let’s get the menu out of the way.

"We’re doing a mexican theme because dads love tacos. I’m a dad so I can vouch for that being the truth,” says Berkus who, with his equally handsome husband Jeremiah Brent, has an adorable little girl. “They’re so easy and un-fussy he says,” and to make it streamlined—and less work for you—you can set up a taco station by corralling all the ingredients on a tray and letting everyone concoct their ideal protein+veggie+salsa combo. “Make sure that your food is plated on nice dishes and trays,” says Berkus. “Even if you have ordered takeout,”—hey, no shame in that. ”It’s these small thoughtful details that are so easy and yet totally elevate the moment.”

“Stick to a neutral color palette so things don’t feel overwhelming. The mix of black, white and touches of gold, beige and navy ensured that the mix of patterns all played well off each other,” says the decorating guru. “I’m obsessed with these patterned plates which feel so well-traveled and important. And the tablecloth is actually a throw. I love when you can repurpose things like that."

Tessa Neustadt

Time for the centerpieces.

“A large centerpiece can block the view and make it hard to see people across the table,” says Berkus. “Small, low packed arrangements ensure the view is never blocked and you can see all your guests. Plus, they are so easy to put together. It’s really as simple as picking some greenery from the garden, which is what we did here.” He then nestled them in matching vases to keep the overall look consistent and modern.

It’s important to do something to make this a meaningful occasion, as casual as it may be. “Incorporating some sort of art is such a fun way to get the kids involved and to create a really special place setting for dad,” says Berkus. “They’re very easy to make and you can find instructions online.”

Tessa Neustadt

Voila!

Show Transcript

Hey guys, these are my tips for throwing a simple Father's Day lunch. We're doing sort of a Mexican theme because dads love tacos, I love tacos, I'm a dad, I can vouch for that being the truth. Set up the tortillas, set up all the ingredients in a little basket Dad can make his own tacos, the kids can make their own tacos. As far as the decor, we want it to feel a little bit special. Easy way to do that, the first layer is a tablecloth which could be a beautiful piece of fabric that you find. The dishes are a pattern from my target collection. And the napkins are a fabric that we had sown up at the dry cleaner. It's a little bit of an upgrade from a paper napkin to use a cloth napkin. And these I think are my favorite thing. This is how you get the kids involved, and they're very easy to make. You can find the instructions online. If you don't wanna do this as an art project, then you can do something else. But the point is, you just lay something on top of a napkin, to make it feel special, something that the kids helped you make, that you supervised. For floral, as straight forward as possible. Greenery, this can be leaves from outside. Cut them short. Do three of the same vases. Again, you can reuse all of these things for different holidays, but the point is making Dad feel special. [MUSIC]

Hey guys, these are my tips for throwing a simple Father's Day lunch. We're doing sort of a Mexican theme because dads love tacos, I love tacos, I'm a dad, I can vouch for that being the truth. Set up the tortillas, set up all the ingredients in a little basket Dad can make his own tacos, the kids can make their own tacos. As far as the decor, we want it to feel a little bit special. Easy way to do that, the first layer is a tablecloth which could be a beautiful piece of fabric that you find. The dishes are a pattern from my target collection. And the napkins are a fabric that we had sown up at the dry cleaner. It's a little bit of an upgrade from a paper napkin to use a cloth napkin. And these I think are my favorite thing. This is how you get the kids involved, and they're very easy to make. You can find the instructions online. If you don't wanna do this as an art project, then you can do something else. But the point is, you just lay something on top of a napkin, to make it feel special, something that the kids helped you make, that you supervised. For floral, as straight forward as possible. Greenery, this can be leaves from outside. Cut them short. Do three of the same vases. Again, you can reuse all of these things for different holidays, but the point is making Dad feel special. [MUSIC]

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